Method and apparatus for threading spinning pots



Patented Apr. 12, 1949 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THREADING SPINNING POTS John K. Whisnant. Enka, and Luther C. Taylor, Candler, N. 0., assignors to American Enka Corporation, Enka, N. 0., a corporation of Delaware Application November 13, 1946, Serial No. 709,528

4 Claims. (01. 57-34).

This invention relates to the bucket or pot spinning of rayon yarn and is more particularly concerned with a method and apparatus for threading-up pot spinning machines.

In the pot spinning of rayon yarn it is customary to lead the freshly formed and coagulated yarn from the spin bath over a godet or series of godets downwardly from the last godet into a funnel which is reciprocated in a rotating pot so that superimposed courses of yarn are laid up centrifugally within the pot to form a yarn cake which is subsequently subjected to the necessary after-treatments.

Considerable difficulty has been encountered in the threading up of pot spinning machines because of a tendency of the thread to follow and wrap around the last godet instead of falling tangentially from the godet into the funnel. ,This has been due to the present practice of threading up a pot-spinning position wherein the operator after wrapping the godets leads the yarn downwardly to the funnel with one hand, while with the other he pours from a cup a small amount of spinning-in solution into the funnel where the yarn from the godet has been placed. In the pot spinning machines whereby undesired wrapping of the yarn around the godet during the threading into the funnel is entirely prevented and the introduction of the yarn into the funnel is greatly facilitated.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of several embodi ments thereof in conjunction with the annexed drawing whereof: Figure 1 is a schematic view in end elevation disclosing the method and apparatus of the present invention for the threading of pot spinning machines; Figure 2 is a fragmentary schematic view similar to the view of Figure l but disclosing a modification in the location of one of the valves included in the apparatus.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawing, the numeral l designates the freshly formed yarn which is passed either directly from a co- 'agulating bath, not shown, or from another godet, not shown, to and around a driven godet II, the speed of which is correlated with the spinning speed so as to draw oil the thread from the spin bath at a desired rate. To prevent slippage of the thread I!) on the godet ll,'the thread is wound one or more times about the godet and is then led tangentially off the godet and downwardly to a funnel l2 into which it is introduced. The funnel l2 of a pot spinning machine is vertically reciprocated by a bar l3 which runs for the full length of the machine, the bar serving to support and reciprocate a number of funnels, only one of which is shown in the drawing. Underlying the bar l3 and in registry with each funnel there is a spinning bucket or pot H! which is caused to rotate, by means not shown, the number of buckets with which a spinning machine is provided corresponding to the number of funnels. The thread, after passin through the funnel, is laid up centrifugally within the bucket to form a cake of yarn, and after a suitable spinning period the machine is stopped and, these cakes are removed and subjected to such after-treatments as may be required in any particular instance.

When the pot spinning machine is threaded up, a tendency is encountered for the yarn III, which should leave the godet tangentially and fall vertically alon the path indicated by the broken line l5 into the funnel [2, to stick to the godet as indicated by chain line It and to wrap around it. This tendency persists even though the operator is manually threading the funnel and it considerably interferes with his work. If the tendency is allowed to continue unchecked, layers of yarn may be wound onto the godet requiring another threading of the entire position.

To overcome these difliculties, a nozzle i1 is located at a point intermediate the godet H and the funnel l2. This nozzle is connected through a conduit ill to a liquid supply tank H which is located sufficiently above the nozzle to afford an adequate head of liquid to cause the nozzle to eject a stream of adequate velocity. Between the liquid tank I9 and the nozzle I1 there is located a valve 20 which may be of the springclosed type which is opened by an operating lever in position to be actuated by the operators foot. Alternatively the valve shown at 2| in Figure 2 may be used for the same purpose, the difference being that valve 2| is adapted for operation by the operators knee rather than his foot. In either case the valve used serves to establish, under the control of the-operator, a flow of liquid from. the supply tank to the nozzle ll.

illustrated. In actual practice, however, the

tank l9 will, through communication with a manifold pipe 22, serve all of the spinning positions of the machine, each position being, "pro vided witha control valve and a nozzle.

Each nozzle is so disposed as to elect a stream of liquid substantially parallel to, but convergent I toward the normal yarn path indicated by the broken line iii, the stream of liquid intercepting .the normal yarn path at the mouth of the funnel l2.

In operation, after winding several turns around the godet H, the operator pulls the yarn to a position below the nozzle I! in the direction shown in the full line in the drawing and valve is opened to cause a stream of liquid to be ejected from the nozzle I'l towards the center of the fun-' nel [2. The stream 'of liquid ejected from the nozzle I1 is caused to have a downward velocity greater than the rate of yarn travel between the godet II and the funnel l2, and hence tends to pull the yarn and guide it in the direction of the,

stream which is, of course, toward the mouth of the funnel. This pull or downward force applied to the yarn overcomes the tendency of the yarn to wrap around the godet during the threading-up period. It is contemplated that any liquid may be supplied from the tank It! which will not deleteriously affect the thread in the particular stage of its manufacture.

The full line 23 Serves to designate the path of yarn travel during the threading-up operation while liquid is being ejected from the nozzle I1. Once the valve 20 or 2| is closed and no more prises stationary means laterally disposed with :respect to a straight line connecting the thread discharging surface of thegodet and the funnel for establishing a generally vertical stream of liquid converging with the normal path of yarn I travel between the godet and funnel and coincident with said path at the mouth of the funnel.

2. In a pot spinning machine including a pot, a funnel, and a godet disposed with its thread discharging surface above and in vertical alignment with the funnel, the improvement that comprises a stationary nozzle disposed between the rality of spinning nozzles and, an assembly com- 7 prised of a godet, a funnel, and a spinning pct associated with each nozzle, each godet being disposed with its thread discharging surface above and in vertical alignment with the respective funnel, the improvement that comprising a stationary nozzle located between each godet and the respective funnel but laterally ofiset with respect to a straight line connecting the discharge surface of the godet and said funnel, a liquid source,

and means for connecting said source selectively liquid is ejected from the nozzle, the thread will follow the path of broken line l5 This invention has been described without regard to the type of yarn being spun, because it the need for the use of individual containers ofspinning liquid by the operators. More important,

- however, is that this invention overcomes the disadvantage that whenyarn of light denier is manually threaded, a high percentage of wraps occurs due to its light and flufiy nature and the lack of gravitational force inherent therein. On the other hand, heavy denier yarn does not involve such a high percentage of wraps but those that do occur are costly due to the amount of yarn wasted;.-and also if it is not properly introduced into the funnel, it accumulates in the mouth thereof.

It is to be understood that while the invention has been described with respect to a particular example, modifications in the method and apparatus are possible within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

What is claimed is: V

1. In a pot spinning machine including a pot, a funnel, and a godet disposed with its thread discharging surface above and in vertical alignment with the funnel, the improvement that comwith any nozzle on the machine, each nozzle being directed to project a stream of liquid convergent with the'normal path of yarn travel between said godet and funnel and intersecting said path at the mouth of the funnel.

4. The method of threading a pot spinning machine which comprises leading freshly formed yarn to and around at least one godet the discharging surface of which lies above and in vertical alignment with the collecting funnel, initiating a stream of liquid intermediate the last godet and the respective funnel but offset with respect to the line between the discharging surface of the godet and the funnel but leading into the latter,

, releasing the yarn end in said stream to be carried thereby into the funnel, and discontinuin said stream of liquid.

JOHN K. WHISNANT. LUTHER C. TAYLOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

I UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

